For We Live By Faith
Welcome to my little corner in the digital world! In the time I've been on this earth, I've come to realize there's only one thing that really matters, and that's what follows after we pass from this life. I've done deep dive studies on all of the major religions, as well as the atheist viewpoint. I've concluded that Christianity is the only one that offers irrefutable proof, and I've put together four of the most important "knowledge areas" within Christianity that answer the who, what, when, and how of what's really important. These have not only been crucial to my survival through the many 'hilltops' and 'valleys' of life, but have been essential to my understanding of the 'big picture' of why we're here. The four sections (below) are not intended to be an in-depth comprehensive study on the subject matter, but rather a surface level explanation that is easily understandable. For more extensive and complete studies on all things "Christian", I highly recommend the following site, https://gracethrufaith.com/. It contains 9,000+ resources and addresses just about any area you'd like to dive into. I believe you are here for a reason, so please take a few moments to review a link where you might have questions, post a prayer request, or check out my personal testimony. May God bless you!
We are able to talk to Jesus by praying. He left us instructions on how we should pray, in His written word.
The simple reality is that prayer works!! I have had many prayers answered in my personal life and I have witnessed answered prayers in other people's lives as well. There are many scriptures that stress the importance of prayer, and I'll list some of them below. However, my favorite is (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)
​"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
​
Mark 11:24, James 5:16, Ephesians 6:18, John 14:13-14, 1 John 5:14-15, John 15:7, Mathew 6:9-13
James 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 8:26, Mathew 21:21-22, 2 Chronicles 7:14, James 4:3
Jeremiah 29:12, Mathew 6:6, Romans 12:12
​
So how should we pray? That's a great question! When Jesus was asked this question, He taught the disciples 'The Lord's Prayer'. There's a couple different accounts of this. One is in Luke 11:1-4, and the other is in Mathew 6:9-13. They're not identical, however, they include the same elements. I believe this is because Jesus didn't want us to use it as a repetitive "word for word" prayer, but more as an outline, or a model for how we should pray.
​​
In order, beginning with...
PRAISE - Magnify and praise God as He is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.
​
PETITION - Pray that God's will be accomplished in all situations. Be specific about what you feel led to pray about....maybe it's the nation, local leaders, missionaries, family members, or simply a specific circumstance or situation. Also pray that your will align with God's will.
​
PROVISION - Pray about all your needs! ...and don't forget to thank Him in advance. This helps to show that you have faith and trust in God.
​
PARDON - Ask for forgiveness of your sins. We live under grace and Christ has already paid the price for your sins, past, present, future, which means you are already forgiven. However, by coming to God with our sins, and asking Him to reveal any sin in our lives, even the hidden ones we may not be completely aware of, we are strengthening our relationship with Him. Also, ask for the strength to forgive others, especially if you have a situation with someone that hasn't been reconciled. We forgive others just as Christ has forgiven us.
​
PROTECTION - Ask for divine protection. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:16). However, the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)​
​
PRAISE - Circle back to where you started, and give God all the glory.
​
​In reality, what it all boils down to, is that God doesn't expect us to use fancy words and intellectual conversation when we talk to Him. He asks that we come to Him as we are. Speak to Him in regular conversation, and don't be afraid to show emotion. If you're scared, tell Him, if you're angry at Him, tell Him. Jesus had emotions and expressed them during His time on earth. We are all created in His image, and so we also have emotions. The most important thing is to be honest and sincere with your prayers. Don't try to hide anything, as God already knows. If you have needs, again, God already knows, however, He likes it when we bring these needs before Him. It shows that we have faith and trust in Him. Lastly, it can help to pray scripture. This can help you focus on what's important and truthful, and it also glorifies God the Father. And there's many examples throughout scripture where God's people in the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament, and even Jesus himself, referenced scriptures in their prayers.
​
I encourage you to post any prayer requests at the link below. Please avoid any personal details, as this is open to the public. Also, if you feel led to pray about any of the posted requests, feel free to comment, or simply just give a "like", and we will know there are prayers going up!